Cammie Stamp might be difficult to see behind the counter – her hair just pokes over the top – but once she steps out, her bright pink sneakers can’t be missed. She’ll greet you with a warm, genuine smile and a great big “Hi!” even if it’s her first time meeting you. She is the perfect person to greet people entering the office.
Cammie has been manning the front desk as the receptionist at SABAH for 20 years. She answers the phones, files paperwork, and greets all those who enter. She is a tremendous success story for sasi’s Supportive Employment Program.
SABAH is a non-profit organization that, like sasi, supports people with disabilities. Creatively, it uses ice skating to enrich the lives of its athletes. Whenever someone calls for information, Cammie is right there to help in whatever way she can.
“I answer the phones and do the little tasks that the office staff can’t get to, like stuffing envelopes and stapling packets,” Cammie said. “I asked them one day what I could do to help them more, and they said answering the phones would be the biggest help. They’re busy with other things and don’t have the time to talk to all of the skaters when they call in.”
To have been there for 20 years, you know Cammie is doing a good job.
“Cammie is passionate, independent, a great advocate for herself and others, and has accomplished success in competitive employment with a significant disability,” said Bonnie, a sasi job developer and trainer, who has worked with Cammie for several years. “She is dedicated, loyal, a hard worker, and a strong communicator. She also aims to please.”
Cammie works four-hour days twice a week at SABAH. She also loves to support the organization on social media by liking, sharing, and commenting on all of their posts.
Beyond being a good employee, Cammie is a staunch advocate for herself and others with disabilities. When we asked her what she loves about her job, she quickly replied, “That I can prove society wrong.”
“(Society has) such a negative outlook on us,” she said. “I don’t want to be looked at like that. I don’t want to be looked at like I can’t do anything. We can do just as much as everybody else. I tend to say ‘we’ because I like to speak for those who can’t. There are people who don’t have a voice, because their disability is too severe. So, I made it my mission when I was a little girl that I would be their voice.”
While her voice might be tiny and soft, Cammie’s message is big. She wants people with disabilities to chase down every dream they have and not let anyone or anything be an obstacle in the way.
“Don’t give up on your dreams,” she said. “Don’t let your disability cloud your judgement on what you can do. And don’t let someone else put a limit on what you can do, because only you know what you can do. You’re the only one who puts limits on yourself. Just go for it. Sometimes, you have to jump in with both feet and just do it. You can’t always think about it thoroughly; you just have to leap.”
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. To mark the occasion, sasi is shining a spotlight on the people we support who thrive in the workplace.